A HAUNTED LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5634, 6 December 1879, Page 3

A HAUNTED LIFE.

BY BERTHA M. CLAY. Author of "A Mild Love," "A liitter Atonement," '• Thrown on the World," &c. CHAPTER IX. A L 0 V K M E SSACE. "I like that young Doctor Ryder," said the earl that aarne day during dinner. " I consider him a wonderfully clover young man, aud they tell me that he ia almost worshipped among the poor at King's Barford." Lady Vera looked up with a light in her face that had never been brought there by the mention of any other man's name.

" X like him also. X find him very intelligent—a man of unusual strength of character, 1 should say." I/>rd Dornton, who wa3 stiyiiiij at A tin Pri"r3, epokc next. " Clever, but a little mad, I tliin'u." "All clc v - r .ie >ple are more o • 1 - s .na 1.

aid L*d> V. ra ''Madccss an.l geniu-' eeui t<> iuc- aiii d i like the ui.i'n of :euiuV *' S;> do I," teai i tne earl. 41 If :'rs v »nny loctor's talent be encouraged he w.ll ba a ihiniiic* light, not only in the world of nedicine, but in the social world also. X ;hink, Vera, we must take him by the hand Let us ask him to dinner and introduce him to some of the county magistrates ; that will give him a chance of getting on." Laly Vera smiled. " i>a you know, papa, 1 think he likes his work among the poor best; his whole heart 3eeins filled with that one idea," "If it be that idea," said Lord Dornton, "he may make up his mind that the world is lost to him. Philanthropy never did pay and never will—not the real thing, I mean." "Everything, every ide* that Doctor Hyder has, is very real ; of that 1 am quite , sure," said Lady Vera. I

" You have a very idea of him/' said Lord Dornton, dryly. The earL laughed—nothing ever amused him more than a wordy skirmish between hia daughter and his heir-at-law. They dilfered so greatly. Lady Vera was all poetry, romance, and sentiment; Lord Doriuon all tbat was pro3aic and matter-of-fact. They balanced each other. Lady Vera idealized everybody aud everything ; to Lord Dornton was given the happy faculty of judging persons and thing* exactly aa they were. £ven over the new acquaintance they differed. Lady Vera saw in him a brave young champion ready armed to meet the greasr scourges, sickuess and iguomnce—a cavalier ready t:> defend and help the helpless, a man whose ideal life was one of self-sacrifice. L:>rd Dorotun thought of him as a simple y ii'ig doctor, with a great desire to get on ui the world, and with more talent than falls t:. the lot of most people. " We will do as 1 s*y, Vera," said the earl; "wo will ask hiin to dinner aud introduce him to a few of our neighbours." 41 Our next dinner party is the sixteenth,'' said Lady Vera. " Who is coming asked Lord Beaufort, who seldom took the trouble of looking over his daughter's list. "The Tracys, Lady Cranstone, and Lord j O&burn," she answered. 14 That will do tam-jusly. Fili in a card for the young doctor—it will be a stare iu life. Let us sec where the end is." He remembered those words in after years, when he knew what the end waa. Lady Vera looked much pleased. "I call that a very charitable action, i papa?'* »he said, " ihao is ihe touch in life that leads many men on to fortune." Tlieu the subject; dropped, but Francis Lord L'orntou shrugged his shoulders at the thought of it. "Let every man fight hid own and find his own level," he s-ii Ito himself. 14 1 do not brlieve iu brincim* all classes toge.her." The result of this interview was that, to his t;reat surprise, Dudley l\yder received au invitation to dinner ou the sixteenth of Juoe at Alton Priors, aud hia wonder was so great that he tat for several minutes looking at it. " 1 shall begin to think soou that 1 had a fairy godmother," he said. "By whatstioke of strange fortune am I lo dine at the triors? I hoped I was learning to cool the fever aud slake tho thirst that have been cinguuiing my life away ; now I shall live, as it were, in living flames until the sixteenth coines. She waa so kiud, so geuerous to me when wc were aloue, I wender if she will be so before her other guests." And, do what he would, Dudley Kyder could never quite bauish from his mind a certaiu wooder as to how Lady idyltoa beaufort would treat him befoie others.

He remembered his promise about Alice Rowe, and he Uuew that if he desired to please his beautiful yonug hostess he could not do belter than to take with hiui to .Alton Priors au account of his protegee.

One goldeu bright summer afternoon, wheu the air was warm with aun?uiuc, ail I the birds were singing sweetly, wheu the odour of the liawfch vrn lille.l the air, and the hay lay sweet and fresh iu the meadows, he found himself with a leisure hour, and resolved to go to the little cottage where the dying girl lay—a pretty little cottage in a green lane, with an uld-fashione.l garden before the door, aud a well in the garden, where great bushes of sweet southernwood rand clove carnatious made the air fragrant j a row of stood, and the bees roamed all day iu a wilderness of sweets, where great clusters of scarlet geraniums shone through the clear windows. Iu the pretty cottage the girl lived with her parents — they were poor—th?ir whole source of living was the garden, the bees, and the cows. Many times the young doctor had paused btfore the cottage door, thinking to himself what an idyl it was.

As he entered the lane ho saw a groom leading a horde that he knetv at once was from Alton Priors, and he guessed at once that Lady Vera was there. Should he go in or not? He tried t:> think, but a aweet confusion hid stolen over his senses and his thoughts—he could not distiuguish them. Woukl she think it intrusion ?—would it be good taste?—could he make up his inind to miss this dazzling gleam of happiness?—her face, so dear to him, should he nob look at it ? Should he not live one ecstatic moment in her presence, even if he died tbe next day. A lire seemed to burn his brain ; his face lost all its colour ; bis heatt beat with such passionate pulsation, that his whole frame trembled; all the glory of earth and heaven seemed to have settled on the little cottage now that she was there. Heaven help all meu who love with such love as that !

He said to himself that he had come there not with auy hope of meeting Lady Hyltou Beaufort—he had never even thought of it ; he had gone simply in the discharge of his duty, and it would be cowardly to turn away because Lady Vera was there.

ile weut iu. There was a pretty rustic porch covered with honeysuckles, and the door opened at once into the bright little room. There he saw nothing more—neither the pretty neat room, the old mother with her knitting, nor the young girl on whose face the augel of death had cast a shadow. He saw nothing but the oue beautiful face that made the whole world for him.

She was sitting by the dying girl, her rid-ing-habit sweeping tho ground, looking, be thought, lovelier thau ever, her face shaded by drooping plumes. His whole heart aud soul went out to her; a great thrill of passionate pain, that was yet passionate pleasure, cime over him ; the world and life itself seemed suddenly eonccntrated in that one spot where she was, and blank, cold darkness where sho was not.

She look-d up in sudden, sweet surprise, and he wondered as he saw a faint rose ilush rise on her face ; it could not be for him, that was one thing quite certain, not for him.

She held out her hand to him as though they were old fricuds, aud, as ho held it for one half moment in his own again, there fell over him a sense of dignity that thrilled the beating heart and fiery pulse. " I am pleased to see you, Doctor Hyder. Alice is very ill to day," she said, gently. Fortunately for liiin she turned away her face, antA his 3ei:ses slowly came back, to him ; he saw the room, the old mother with tier knitting, and the white, dying face. It all came back to him—the mad, sweet delirium was ovsr ; this was the earl's daughter, aud he was a poor country doctor —let him remember that. Lndy Vera rose. "Take this seat, doctor," she said, and he took it; then remembering himself', he placed another chair for her. He was so simple and noble of heart, so earnest that he almost forgot everything except the sick girl, whose pain he wished to alleviate. Lady Vera saw the gentleness, sweet as that of a woman, with which he took the warm hand and held it. Alice looked up at him with a grateful smile. She had been very fair o.mcc, aud that smile made her angelic. "You are very good to me, doctor," sho said. " 1 wish I could cure you, Alice," he replied. To both of them sitting there, with that sweet, subtle sense of understanding each other, there came a keen sense of how terrible a thing it must be to lie dying, whilo lifo and the world were all so bright and fair. The girl smiled. "I do not know," she said; " I have bsc-ii so !ong dying I should not understand life. They Baid i was dying a year ago, when the summer suu shone ; they said X was dying when tho snow came and the world was white ; it is harder to understand now, while the birds are singing and tho whole land is laughing."

He knew how to answer her. Lady Vera's heart followed his simple words. He tried to take from her the fear of death.

"I wonder,"" she continued, with the curious egotism of the dyHi?— *' X wonder if I shall feel lonely; i wou.kr when my eyes clos-i in thi3 world wh 't th;y wi i fc° first in the n*xr. i wuu.ie. If i * ;til -h-.ddrr* and *hn*«r« as ic k .aki_* -i phi in'o ei«rnity 7" He s othr-d h-r -vi i ul, c ntlc v.-'j'ds ; fjy briili-n \- _ : =_• n*y, lUt.nin" to h'm, aui ?'> urs : " iua .'s s »u» imii. 'n • ri-ar Heaven." A feeling of rever< n-je came i.ver h-r, &uch aa she hid never felt for any man. He was far a-ove h'*r, she said to herself, aa the stars in heaven. He waa quit»i familiar with those wondeiful truths that she had thought little about. He knew what Alice would see tirat when she was Alice ni louder, but an immortal soiiit; he told her, and the girl's facj brightened with a tender light. Then he spoke to the mother, whose busy fingers were never for one moment still. L*dy Vera had brought fruit and wine for the sick girl, who looked wit i delighted eyes on the grapes and strawberries. Then she said : " Doctor Ryder, I have taken care of my jjcrauiunn for you—you must have them. I lik« to think how they will brighten your rooms."

"They are vtry iful," slid Lady ' Vera, aud iudeed they were. No nobleman's greenhouse could thow finer flowers. Alice looked pleased when they were praised. A passing wish tbat the could give something to L/U'iley lxyder to brighten his rooms pass-, d through Lady Vera's mind. " They are fragrant as well a3 beautiful," said Alice ; " this is the rose-geranium ; the leaves have all the of the rose, the Hoivers are a purplish pink. Doctor JKyder, you will take care of th-m ?" They both drew near t© the lovely bloss ims, and the doctor eaid : " May I gather one spray now ?' } Alice laughed a happy little laugh. " Yes, they are your own." He did not think in the least of what he was doing ; he bad forgotten by this time that Lidy Vera was au earl's daughter and he a poor man. Ide only saw a beautiful face,-a teuder, loving heart, a sweet womanly nature, and did homage to it. He took a spray of the rose-scented geranium and held it silently to Lady Vera. A sudden flush on her face, a sudden of her dark eyes roused him. He saw that she hesitated for one half minute, then she held out her white j hand and took it with a frank smile. "Thank you," she said, simply. Her white lingers caressed the pink leaves. The dyiug gi r l watched th- m with a strange look in her eyes. Lady Vera placed the flower in her ridiug habit. She glauccil at him with a smile. " JDj you understand anything aboui the language of lljwcre," she said, "as spoken by flowers V ".No. 1 have heard that there is such a thing, but i do not understand anything about it," he answered. " Every flower has it meaning. What do you think this rose-geranium siguifies ?" "I eaunot tell, i hope it is something very eloquent and poetical," ho said. She laughed. "It means simply * preference,' " she said. "Open a dictionary of the meauiug of flowers and you will tec : ' Rose-gerauimn— preference/ " He forgot all prudeuce, hi forgot that she was a lady of tittle aiid wealth, and he said : " Then the flowers say for me what I dare not say for myself."

She turned away, but there was no anger in her face, aud Alice lookel at her with curious eyes. iShe beat over her, this proud, stately lady, this queenly beauty for whose smile prinoes had vied, she bent over the girl and said good-by to her ia kindest words. Dudley Ryder did the same. Then all the sunlight of heaven burst ou Lim as he bethought hiuxseif that he must escort her down the green laues. The sua lias shone on many such scenes, fie went home almost mad with one picture, and it was that of a beautiful womau with a spray of rose geranium at her breast.

CHAPTER X. SIGNIFICANT FLOWERS, Tho of June, the day of the diuuer party iit Alcon Priors. The Karl of Boaufott enj >ye.l giving a diunerparty. He was all hospitality, aud oue of the greatest pleasures of his life was to sit at *.he head of his magnificent tabic an.l make every one happy. He met Lady Vera as she was going down to the drawi ig-rootu to receive her visitors. He gave a little cry of d--lighted surprise. 44 llow well you look, Vera," he said ; 14 and, pardon me, my dear, how nicely you. are dressed. What id this?" He touched the clouds of dainty lace as lie spoke, and hia daughter laughed. 4v I could never make you understand a dressmaker's parlance," she said. 44 Ido uot even understand it myself. It is some wonderful material, made to louk like white clouds, with a suspicion of pale rose-coloured sky." ''I see, I understand," said the earl, yet he was further from unlerstaudiug than ever. How dress, aud clouds, and rose-coloured skies could be mixed together was quite beyond him. The simple English of it was a dr<JHB of finest white lace over a pale pink satin. She looked beautiful as some rare picture just stepped from its frame. ' She wore uo jewels, but her dark hair was wreathed with roße-geranium. She wore a beautiful spray of rose-geranium iu her white breast. 41 A T hat beautiful flowers," said the earl. "Why, Vcrj, you look like a rosegeranium yourself. What made you choo3e them ?" He woudored a little why her face was Budietdy covered with a lovely blush. He would have wondered still more had he kuown that iu one of k«r private drawers lay a withered spray of rose-geranium wrapped in many folds ot finest paper. 44 Why did I chose them, papa?" she replied. 44 Because they are, I think, the most beautiful flowers iu the world. Dr. Ryder had uot arrived when this vision of delicate loveliness in the cloud of lace and rose-geranium cmtered the room. Most of the other visitors had arrivtd; he came later. It was well for him that no one watched his face when he first saw her. The emotion, ! the wonder, the delight that w.is almost pain it was so intense, must have betrayed him to even the least observant. She did not see him when he first entered the room, she was talkiug to Lord Osburn ; j he had time to recover himself before he weut up to her. He could not speak to her. If she had ! tricl what she cDuld do to bewilder him, to enchant, to fasciuate, aud almost madden him, she could have done nothing more than this. When ho stood before her he was dumb ; his lips parted, but do sound came from them; and she, as her eye? lingered on him, and on the strong handsome, powerful face, and grand, rnauly figure, she thought how far in outward appearance he excelled every man she had ever seen. i He was not ntai* her during diuuer, but • his eyes never left her ; as to what he ate I or what he drank he never noticed it; the j chances were he did neither, for his thoughts were with the brilliant beauty, whose dark hair was wreathed with rose»geraniuin. He had taken a Miss Traoey in to dinucr and she liked him. She was a tall, finelooking girl who always kept one eye on the matriinouial market, aud as she was now reaclrng the desperate age of twenty-six, even the doctor would have been very acceptable. Aliss Tracey, who rejoiced in the name of Belinda, made eyes at him, sighed at him, talked to him, plunged into mazes of sentiment, but it was all in vain. Dudley Ryder saw nothing but the rose geraniums. He had what he thought the good fortune to open the door for the ladies as they left the dining-room, aud as Lady passed him the odour of the flowers reached him and hi-3 brain reeled with delight. lie never knew what wine was drank, or what the geutlemen talked about, or how long they sat, or anytliiug at all about it; he only kuow that he was tmder the same roof with hsr, and that very soou he should see her again. Then they went to the drawiug-room. True as the needle to the pole, his glance sought hers ; aud siie made a little gesture of invitation that he shoiil I take his place by her. lie did so. 44 You are among straugers, Dr. Ryder," she said, gently ; 44 let me try to amuse you. Are you foud.of music 44 1 have heard but little," he replied ; 44 1 am afraid you will find me very iguorant," 44 You did not seem very iguorant over pictures," said Lady Hylton Beaufort. 41 1 should say that you had the true instioct of art, but that it has not been cultivated." 44 You are right in that, as I believe you are right in everything else," he said. He longed iu his breast to thank her for wealing those ilowers ; it seemtd to have brought them more together, to have formed some mystic link between them. ; but he could lind no words, none. Lady Vera said : 44 Do you you admire a tenor roice ? Lurd Osburn has a good one.

IHe 18 a goint* to sing. Listen and tell me if you like it." A rich, mellow voice trolled out the words ,of oae of Hoo l's liueat ballads, called "Flowers." ' I will not have tbe nuid Clytie, Whose h a J is tnrne I by the sun ; Tiie t'lli,; is * c urtlv (jucen Wiii»;u hero u.-e I" will siiun. The cowslip is a country girl The violet is a nun ; But I will \vo o the dainty rose, The queen of every one. " The pea is hut a wan'on witch, In too much haste t. wed. And cla-j.3 her rings on cvvy hand The wolfsbane I sh ul<i dread. Xor like a drea»v roseunrv. That always mourn«the dead ; Bat I will woo 'he dainty rose. With her cheeks of ten ier red. " The lily is all in white, like a sunt, And so is uu mate for me ; And the daisy's cheek is tipp'd with a blush, ! She i, of sucli low decree. Jasmine is awe t, and lu« many loves. And th j broom's betrothed to the Lee ; But I will i with the dainty rose, For fairest of all is she." The rich music stopped suddenly, an I a low murmur of applause greeted Lord Osburn. Then Lidy Vera turned to her eo upanion. "Do you like the song?'' she asked. Yes, very much — words and music ; an !, ab ive all, tbe voice," he replied. *'L:t ly Vera, do you siug ?" "Yea," she sa'd, with that charming frankness which was one of her greatest fascinationsyes, ind I sing well, because I love music. •' 1 should like to hear von," he said. " Would you 1 Then I promise you I win sing one song for you before you Then, in compliance with the requ.sfc of many of her visitor?, she sang a beautiful little soug of Hood's : " The stars are with the voyager, Wherever he may sail ; The moon is constant to her time; 'I he sun will never fail; But follow, follow round the world, The green earth and the sea ; So 1 >ve is with the lover's heart, Wherever he may be.

" Wherever he may be, tbo Btars Must daily lose their light; The moon will veil her in the shade, The sun will set at night. The sun may se;, but constant love Will shine when he's away ; So that dull night is ever night, And day is brighter day." She sang so beautifully, with such a clear, sweet voice, that her listeners were charmed. Dudley Kyder hastened to her. "How much you have taught me," he said. "1 never kne.v what flowers said or what music meant until now. I Bhall never forget these words : * So the dull night is never night, And day is brighter day.' There is something iu our lives which make such a change as this/' '* Yes," she said, gently, "1 believe theie

He never kue».v afterward how the charmed hoars of Ih:it wonderful evening had spetl. fioiu tho great drawing-room a splendid conservatory opened, the lamps were all lighted there, and looked like brilliaut stars shining in the liowers. Several of the party proferred the cool fragrance to the warm room. The Missei Traj-y were always much delighted when there was a conservatory ; it was the exact place for a flirtation. Belinda had inveigled Dudley .Ryder there uuder the pretext of looking for a certain coloured rose.

"It is uofc a blue rose, is it?" he asked, with a laugh, an i Belinda looked very grave ; she did not even know what a blue rose meant.

There Lady Vera found them, and joined them, understanding pretty well the wearied expression of Dudley Ryder's face. It was Lord Osbum who drew her attention to it.

" Lady Vera," he sail, "I know that you have profound compassion for Belinda Tracey's victims ; believe me, she has one there."

Lady Vera turned quickl}'. " How do you mean ?" she asked,

" I mean that she is tiring hiin to death, and that as hostess it is your duty to relieve him. I will go with you aud help you." But as he crossed ihe room by her si.lo some one wished to speak to him, and Lady llylton Beaufort walked on to the conservatory alone. [ l'o be continued.]